For gift-giving, "enough" was a few years back. Family members and close friends taken care of years ago. Many were thankful, almost none used them. Done with co-workers many years ago as well, even though I've switched jobs a couple of times since then. One was very grateful. Ironically it was a very cheaply made Garrity 1AAA LED keychain light. Used to be my EDC at the time. Caught her admiring it a couple of times. The rest.... Decided the near-future frustrations and headaches weren't worth it.
One example: Very first 2AA MiniMag LED model. Looking back, a historic model now. Long ago, had one; never used it. Gifted it to a security co-worker whom I shared a shift with at Marymount Manhattan college. Specifically the old dormitory. We worked at night, and he didn't have a light. For some bizarre reason, never occurred to him to get one he could EDC on the job. He seemed thankful. Few weeks later I notice he's not using it. Asked him about it. So one night while changing into his uniform in the backroom, which takes him half an hour (not even exaggerating), he "lost" the light. Not really. He switches out of his civilian clothes, and into his uniform. But whereas most folks would have a belt on both their pants, he'd take off and put on the same belt; on a nightly basis. So, with the Mag pouch attached to his belt, one night he forgot. It went flying underneath a table in the small backroom. Rather than get down on one knee to retrieve it, he just left it there! Planned on getting it later. Forgot. When he remembered, it was gone.
No, he's not elderly. Just a former raging alcoholic who finally managed to get that monkey off his back after many long years. Sadly, it was clear though that only most of him had made it back; not all. Didn't bother me at first. But the more I thought about it, the more it did. Last time I gifted a co-worker a light.
Truth is, most of the security staff at MMC were far from respectable. I thought he was different. A blend of in-house and contracted guards. The in-house ones were just horrible people who were extremely lucky to have great-paying jobs they clearly didn't deserve. Especially the one who looked like Santa Claus. Arrogant as hell. Got his job because his father worked at MMC and got him in there. If not for that, he'd likely be homeless living in a box. Security team headed up by former NYPD detectives. Also, arrogant and retired early from the NYPD in order to make more money. Shows you how intelligent the school's Admins. are. Detective work and Security have almost nothing in common. It's like hiring FDNY fire-fighters to head up your dog grooming business. But in fairness, they didn't just sit around doing nothing....
One student who was clearly an alcoholic was made to sign a contract that she would leave, without getting the rest of her tuition money refunded, if she ever returned to the dorms drunk again. Well, obviously no alcoholic can keep such a promise. Doubt such a document would even be admissible in court. They waited. Three weeks later, she screwed up and got kicked out. A male student became homeless shortly after graduation. He kept stopping by the dorms, begging for a bit of food or a spot to flop on. One of the other guards called the school. The Dean and the former NYPD detectives put in a massive effort to contact the former student. They found him. No, they didn't try to help him! They threatened him with jail-time if he ever returned to the dorms! Honestly, that's why I genuinely thought the security guard I worked with at MMC was different. He wasn't a scumbag.
